At that moment the door opened, and a short thick-set man, in a glazed hat and pea-jacket, with huge whiskers meeting under his chin, entered.
His eye at once fell upon the dark man, whom he saluted familiarly--"All ready, Mr Cupples?"
"All ready, sir," replied the other; "it's now more than half-flood; in three hours we can drop down the river with the first of the ebb, and if this breeze holds we'll be in blue water before noon to-morrow."
"Hallo, doctor, is that yourself?" said the captain, whose eye had for some moments rested on Will.
"It is," said the youth, extending his hand, which the other grasped and shook warmly.
"What! changed your mind--eh?"
"Yes, I'm going with you."
